ABSTRACT
This chapter helps the reader to clarify the key definitions with respect to patents and innovations. It highlights the differences between invention and innovation. In general, many people erroneously use “invention” as the synonym of “innovation.” In addition, this chapter discusses the importance of intellectual property protection, particularly in the academic environment, and the impact of patents as sources of advanced technologies. More importantly, this chapter explains how to search for a patent using some platforms, such as Google Patents, The Brazilian National Institute of Industrial Property (INPI), Web of Science—Derwent Basic, SciFinder, United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO; USA), Espacenet, and Free Patents Online, with practical exercises in each platform.
